My Great-Great-Grandfather, Iwon Shesnulowitz, immigrated to America as a draft dodger in 1901 because the Russian Army was having a Military Service Act. He was one of the few immigrants who was able to read and write. He was married to Anna Shesnulowitz and had a daughter Maria. They all came on the S.S. Patricia that departed from Hamburg, Germany.
This is a photo of the S.S. Patricia.
Passenger Records
First Name:
Iwon
Anna
Maria
Last Name:
Shesnulowitz
Shesnulowitz
Shesnulowitz
Ethnicity:
Russian, Polish
Russian, Polish
Russian, Polish
Last Place of Residence:
Podkorsmi
Podkorsmi
Podkorsmi
Date of Arrival:
March 29, 1902
March 29, 1902
March 29, 1902
Age at Arrival:
27 years
26 years
11 months
Gender:
Male
Female
Female
Marital Status:
Married
Married
Single
Ship of Travel:
S.S. Patricia
S.S. Patricia
S.S. Patricia
Port of Depature:
Hamburg, Germany
Hamburg, Germany
Hamburg, Germany
Manifest Line Number:
0012
0013
0014
When Iwon, Anna and Maria got to America they decided to change their names so they could fit in more. Iwon changed his name to John P. Chestna, Maria became Mary Chestna and Anna became Ann Chestna. When Mary was 26 she married Joseph Yanciunas who immigrated here from Lithuania. He also changed changed his last name to Yancunas, so it would be easier to spell. Joseph worked as a shoemaker and Mary worked as a clerk.
This is the original manifest for the S.S. Patricia.
Below is a letter that Mary Chestna wrote to her son Joe about Iwon's immigration.
When Iwon, Anna and Maria got to America they decided to change their names so they could fit in more. Iwon changed his name to John P. Chestna, Maria became Mary Chestna and Anna became Ann Chestna. When Mary was 26 she married Joseph Yanciunas who immigrated here from Lithuania. He also changed changed his last name to Yancunas, so it would be easier to spell. Joseph worked as a shoemaker and Mary worked as a clerk.
Below is a letter that Mary Chestna wrote to her son Joe about Iwon's immigration.